In order to write data to media, a write head is typically used. Such a write head is generally part of a merged head that includes a head for writing and a head for reading data from the media. FIGS. 1A and 1B depict side and top views, respectively, of a portion of a conventional pedestal-defined zero throat (PDZT) head 10. The conventional PDZT head 10 includes a conventional first pole (P1) 12 having a conventional pedestal 14, a conventional coil 20, a conventional second pole (P2) 30 and a conventional gap 40 separating the conventional P1 12 from the conventional P2 30. The conventional PDZT head 10 also includes an insulating layer 22 used to insulate coils 20. The insulating layer 22 is typically a hardbaked photoresist layer.
Although the conventional PDZT head 10 functions, one of ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize that the conventional PDZT head 10 has several drawbacks. The zero throat position 50 is the point at which the conventional P1 12 and the conventional P2 30 diverge away from the write gap 40. Thus, the zero throat position 50 is defined by the position that the pedestal 12 diverges from the P1. The conventional pedestal 14 and, therefore, the distance of the zero throat position 50 from the air-bearing surface (throat height) are relatively large. As a result, more magnetic flux is carried throughout the conventional pedestal 14. More flux is thus situated away from the air-bearing surface at the front of the conventional pedestal 14. It is thus more difficult for the conventional PDZT head 10 to write to a recording media (not shown). In addition, because more flux is required to be carried throughout the conventional pedestal 14, the conventional PDZT head 10 has a higher inductance. Consequently, the rise time for current in the coil 20 is lower. Moreover, because of the high flux through the P1 10, the bottom of the pedestal 12 may become saturated, causing the conventional PDZT head 10 to inadvertently erase tracks adjacent to the track currently being written. For these reasons, performance of the conventional PDZT head 10 suffers.
Accordingly, what is needed is a system and method for improving the performance of a PDZT head. The present invention addresses such a need.